Next-generation iPlayer revealed - will launch in 2014

Set to become the BBC's primary digital entertainment destination

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The BBC has announced its vision for a new iPlayer, which is set to increase the amount of shows, add new features and offer up new ways to watch BBC TV shows.

At an event with TechRadar in attendance, the BBC revealed that the next generation of iPlayer is set to become the "BBC's primary digital entertainment destination" with the Beeb making it easier than ever before to watch new things on the iPlayer.

The list of new features is pretty extensive, with the BBC putting more of a focus on original programming through the iPlayer, as well as increasing the on-demand window for many of its shows – from the current seven days to 30 days.

Pause for thought

Other features include the ability to pause on one device and continue watching on another, Radio 1 is getting its own dedicated TV channel, and there will be pop-up channels for specific events such as Glastonbury.

Speaking about the new and improved iPlayer, BBC Director-General, Tony Hall, said: "The new generation of BBC iPlayer is set to transform our relationship with audiences.

"In the coming years, for many people BBC iPlayer is going to be the front door to our programming and the experience they have is going to be a world away from that of a traditional 'one to many' broadcaster.

"It will be a relationship where we provide our audiences with what they want, when and how they want it."

The new iPlayer will also have improved recommendations and users will be able to create their own evening schedules thanks to more shows hitting the iPlayer.

There is a bit of a wait for the new iPlayer – the BBC has said that it will relaunch sometime in the first half of 2014.

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Marc (Twitter, Google+) is the content team lead for Future Technology, where he is in charge of a 14-strong team of journalists who write many of the wonderful stories that end up on TechRadar, T3.com and T3 magazine. Prior to this he was deputy editor of TechRadar, had a 10-month stint editing a weekly iPad magazine, written film reviews for a whole host of publications and has been an integral part of many magazines that are no longer with us.